While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 20
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In norther Philadelphia, amid drifting refuse and the stench of urine, fentanyl addicts often slump on pavements, shuffle about aimlessly or stand bent over and motionless for hours on end.
ST PHOTO: NIRMAL GHOSH
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‘It impacts everybody’: Fentanyl is devouring Americans
In an area comprising at least six blocks at the crossroads of Kensington Avenue and Allegheny Street in northern Philly – the endearing nickname of the city of Philadelphia where the United States of America was founded on July 4, 1776 – is a tragic manifestation of the country’s fentanyl crisis.
Amid drifting refuse and the stench of urine, addicts slump on pavements, shuffle about aimlessly or stand bent over and motionless for hours on end.
Often, their legs and arms bear the telltale deep wounds of rotting flesh that come from the repeated use of xylazine – a tranquilliser used by veterinarians for animals that is increasingly being mixed with fentanyl to enhance the effects of the drug.
Fentanyl itself is a synthetic opioid with a potency 50 times that of heroin. It is used medically in anaesthesia and as a powerful analgesic to treat severe pain, including in advanced cancer. But it has increasingly been used as a street drug across the US, with devastating effects.
Ukrainian city reels after Russian missile strike
From a hospital bed, her legs still covered in blood, Diana Kazakova described the horror of a Russian missile hitting the heart of Chernihiv city in northern Ukraine on Saturday.
She was inside a fabric store when the strike happened at around 11.30am – just a few minutes after warning sirens sounded across the city. “The window completely fell on me and I fell” she told AFP, hospitalised with a concussion and leg injuries.
The powerful blast of the explosion shattered all the windows of restaurants, cafes, shops and apartments in two surrounding streets. It killed seven people and wounded more than 100.
Tens of thousands flee western Canada wildfires
Residents of western Canada scrambled to evacuate on Saturday as raging wildfires encroached on two metropolitan areas – separate blazes that have sent tens of thousands fleeing over the course of just days.
The devastating fires in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories are just the latest in a summer of dramatic wildfires across the country that have left millions of acres scorched.
According to estimates, 19,000 people were evacuated from Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories’ capital, over 48 hours. The city, home to some 20,000, was largely a ghost town following the largest ever evacuation from the region.
Hassan falls, handing world 10,000m title to Ethiopia’s Tsegay
AFP
Sifan Hassan’s quest for a trio of world titles went up in smoke on Saturday as she fell within sight of the finish line to hand Ethiopian rival Gudaf Tsegay victory in the 10,000m.
What had been a generally sedate race at the National Athletics Centre culminated in a sensational finish.
At the bell for the final 400 metres, Hassan made her move, going wide to reel in the front runners and take the lead with 200m remaining.
Spurs sink toothless United, City too good for Newcastle
AFP
Tottenham showed there is life after Harry Kane with a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday as Manchester City beat potential Premier League title challengers Newcastle 1-0.
Spurs were playing for the first time at home since record goalscorer Kane departed for Bayern Munich.
But in Ange Postecoglou’s first match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the home side showed promising signs of a new era as Pape Sarr’s strike and Lisandro Martinez’s own goal continued United’s sluggish start to the season.
